Broncos’ right guard Chris Kuper has signed his one-year, $2.512 million tender today, essentially taking the three-year starter off the market.

Kuper, a fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft, becomes the first of the Broncos’ five restricted free agents to sign his tender and will be the second to join the team’s offseason conditioning program. Quarterback Kyle Orton starting conditioning with the team on Friday. The other three restricted free agents are Elvis Dumervil, Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler.

Kuper, who hails from Anchorage, Alaska and the University of North Dakota, was given a first-round tender that is unusually high for an interior offensive lineman. Had he received a second-round tender, he may well have received a lucrative offer sheet from another club.

Still, $2.512 million is a nice raise from the $535,000 salary Kuper received last year.